What are the Parts of the Cannabis Plant?

The parts of the cannabis plant each have unique characteristics and uses. Below is a breakdown of the main parts of the cannabis plant and also their functions

1. Flowers (Buds)

• Description: The flowers or buds are the most well-known part of the cannabis plant. In female plants, these buds are resinous and dense, with high concentrations of cannabinoids.
• Uses:
  • Recreational & Medicinal Use: The buds contain the highest concentration of cannabinoids like THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol), used for their psychoactive, therapeutic, and also medicinal properties.
  • Extracts and Concentrates: You can use the flowers to create oils, tinctures, wax, hash, and other concentrated cannabis products.

2. Fan Leaves

• Description: Large, broad leaves that protrude from the plant’s branches.
• Uses:
  • Composting: Typically, people use fan leaves in composting due to their low cannabinoid content.
  • Edibles & Juicing: Some people use fan leaves in cooking, making edibles, or juicing for nutritional benefits, though they are not potent in cannabinoids.
  • Art and Crafts: Some also use fan leaves for artistic purposes, including leaf pressing or creating designs with the recognizable shape of the cannabis leaf.

3. Sugar Leaves

• Description: These are smaller leaves that grow near the cannabis buds and often have a “frosty” appearance due to trichomes (resin glands) on their surface.
• Uses:
  • Edibles: Sugar leaves can make cannabis-infused products like butter or oils due to their higher concentration of trichomes compared to fan leaves.
  • Trimmings for Concentrates: Many use trimmings to make cannabis extracts such as hash or concentrates.

4. Trichomes

• Description: Tiny, hair-like structures that cover the buds, sugar leaves, and sometimes the stalks of the cannabis plant. These are the resin glands responsible for producing cannabinoids and terpenes.
• Uses:
  • Cannabinoid and Terpene Production: Trichomes contain the majority of the plant’s cannabinoids, which are the active compounds (THC, CBD, etc.) responsible for the plant’s effects.
  • Concentrates and Extracts: Trichomes produce concentrates like kief, hash, and various oils.

5. Cola

• Description: The cluster of buds growing tightly together, usually at the top of the cannabis plant. The main cola, or apical bud, is the largest, though smaller colas can form along other branches.
• Uses:
  • Harvesting for Smoking or Extraction: The main source of harvest for both recreational and medicinal uses, due to the density of cannabinoids in the buds.

6. Pistils (Stigmas)

• Description: Hair-like structures that emerge from the calyx of the female flower. They change color from white to orange or red as the plant matures.
• Uses:
  • Reproductive Function: Pistils are part of the reproductive system, capturing pollen from male plants to create seeds.
  • Quality Indicator: While not a primary source of cannabinoids, you can use pistils to gauge the maturity of the plant during growth.

7. Calyx

• Description: The part of the flower that holds the pistils and trichomes. It is a small, protective structure where most of the cannabinoids and terpenes are concentrated.
• Uses:
  • Smoking or Extraction: Like the buds, calyxes are rich in cannabinoids, consumed for their psychoactive and medicinal effects.

8. Seeds

• Description: Cannabis seeds develop when female plants are pollinated by male plants.
• Uses:
  • Breeding: Seeds grow new cannabis plants.
  • Hemp Seed Products: We use cannabis seeds (from hemp plants) in food products like hemp seed oil, protein powder, and other nutritional supplements. Hemp seeds are rich in essential fatty acids and proteins.

9. Stems

• Description: The main support structure of the cannabis plant.
• Uses:
  • Fiber (Hemp): Stems from industrial hemp varieties are processed to create hemp fibers used in textiles, paper, and building materials.
  • Composting: Stems are often used in compost or biomass materials for sustainable growing practices.

10. Roots

• Description: The underground part of the plant that anchors it and absorbs water and nutrients.
• Uses:
  • Medicinal Use in Ancient Remedies: Roots were historically used in natural medicine for anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties.
  • Composting: Roots can also be used in composting to enrich soil for future crops.

11. Branches

• Description: Offshoots from the main stem that hold the leaves and flowers.
• Uses:
  • Support Structure: Primarily structural, though like stems, they are sometimes used for composting or bio-materials in hemp plants.

Each part of the cannabis plant serves a distinct purpose, whether for medicinal use, industrial applications, or sustainability practices.

What Parts of the Cannabis Plant Contain CBD?

CBD (cannabidiol) is primarily found in the flowers (buds) of the cannabis plant, specifically in the trichomes that cover the buds and sugar leaves. These trichomes are resin glands that produce cannabinoids, including CBD, as well as terpenes and flavonoids.

Here’s a breakdown of where CBD can be found:

1. Flowers (Buds):
   • The highest concentration of CBD is in the flowers of the plant, which is why the buds are the primary source for CBD extraction.
2. Trichomes:
   • These are small, hair-like structures that produce CBD, THC, and other cannabinoids. Trichomes are mostly found on the buds and sugar leaves but also in smaller quantities on the stems and branches.
3. Sugar Leaves:
   • These smaller leaves near the buds also contain CBD, but in lower concentrations compared to the flowers.

Other parts of the plant, like the fan leaves, stems, and seeds, contain negligible amounts of CBD or none at all. For CBD products, the flowers are typically harvested and used in various forms like oils, tinctures, and edibles.